


Caught in a Tail Spin

by Krank



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Car Accidents, Car Chases, Fluff, Hospitalization, M/M, Major Character Injury, OT5 Friendship, Panic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2014-07-07
Packaged: 2018-02-07 21:19:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1914219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krank/pseuds/Krank
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>In an attempt to get away from invasive paps, Harry accidentally puts his and Niall’s lives in danger.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caught in a Tail Spin

**Author's Note:**

> Not entirely sure where this came from. It just sort of happened...

Harry blinked up at the California night sky, milky in colour from the lights of Beverly Hills. All of the sounds around him were dulled, transforming in to a crescendo of white noise, though the one thing that stood out above it all was the continuous wail of a car horn.

_'Sir, can you hear me?'_

Harry blinked again, a face appearing in his line of sight. It was a blurry face, but a face none the less. A blinding light was shone in to his eyes, making him squint and attempt to shift away, though he couldn't. His legs were strapped down, his arms pinned to his sides.

_'Sir, I need you to stay with me. Can you look at me?'_

Harry blinked a third time, and it was that blink that brought all of his thoughts and memories rushing back to him, the fear from before climbing back down his throat and settling heavily in his chest. He opened his mouth and gasped, wheezing out the only words he could piece together.

“ **Where's Niall?!”**

  
  


_~~~~~_

  
  


“Harold! Get off your phone, I'm hungry!”

Harry jumped as the booming voice of his bandmate startled him from the focus he had set on the screen of his iPhone. He looked up just as Niall appeared in the doorway of the living room in the house management had put them up in during their extended stay in LA. Harry had set his sights on eventually owning his own place in the city, though the idea was still far away from fruition.

Niall looked like his usual cuddly self, clad in a faded red t-shirt and a pair of rolled up sweat pants to beat the heat. His blond hair was down on his forehead, like it usually was on casual days. Harry couldn't decide which way he liked it most.

It was then that he realized he hadn't actually heard what Niall had said. “I'm sorry, what?”

Niall rolled his eyes and wandered further in to the room, which was far larger than any normal living room. The house was extravagant, which worked well because they could each have their own space instead of living right on top of one another. “I said I was hungry, and that you should pay attention to me.”

Harry felt a smile tug at his lips. “There you go being needy again. Go make a sandwich or something!”

Niall let out a whine, folding his arms across his chest. “I want actual good food.”

“Then order take-away.”

“But I'm tired of being stuck in this house!”

The back-and-forth was all summing up to one thing: Niall wanted to go out, and as luck would have it, Harry was the only boy left in the house to fulfill his needs. Louis and Zayn had fucked off to God knows where, doing Zayn and Louis things, and Liam had taken Sophia out on the town so they could look really, _really_ good together in tabloid photos the following day. She was a gorgeous girl and Liam couldn't even hide the fact that he liked to show her off.

Harry sighed and put down his phone, wiping his hands on the front of his jeans. “ _Fine_ , we'll go.” Niall's face lit up, and he did a bit of a jig where he stood, pumping his fists in the air. “Though you're going to have to change.”

The blond stopped dead. “Why is that?”

Harry gestured to his unreasonable attire as he headed for his own room. “Because we're going out in LA, and you need to try a little harder.”

Niall's face had turned sour. “We sold out Madison Square Garden, I'm sure I can show up to downtown Beverly Hills in sweat pants if I damn well please.”

“And I'm sure I can just shove you out of the vehicle at a shady McDonalds on the way! _Now change!_ ” Harry snapped his fingers teasingly, heading down the long hallway to the right.

“No need to be so bossy!” Niall shouted after him.

  
  


As soon as Harry had caved on taking Niall out for dinner, which is how it worked out somehow even though it was Niall's idea in the first place, he knew he wanted to hit up Mr. Chow. Niall had never been, and it had excellent food. Though it was a hot spot for other famous people, it also had a good set up to get in and out easily. With all of the celebrities frequenting it, they were prepared for the slew of paps that were sure to follow. 

They had had their share of run-ins with paparazzi in the past. It used to be fun when they were just starting out, it seeming ridiculous that they were being followed by cameras everywhere they went. As time went on it developed in to something more sinister and dark, and had even resulted in Niall being pulled to ground when they were last at LAX. Ever since that incident, the boys had been extra careful, looking out for each other and trying to blend in even more, no matter how hard it was. 

Harry knew without a doubt that they would be photographed that night, though he was hoping for the best.

Niall had managed to find something more suitable for dinner, and Harry had texted the other boys just so they knew where they had run off to. Right on cue, Liam sent back a  _'be careful x'._

They pulled up in front of the restaurant, already seeing a group of photographers camped out at a regulated distance from the establishment.

Harry noticed that Niall was eyeing them with some apprehension. “It's alright, Ni. We'll make a bit of a dash, yeah?”

Niall nodded. “Yeah ok.”

As soon as Harry out of the vehicle the flashbulbs began to go. The valet met him halfway, taking his keys with a smile. Harry then rounded the car to Niall's door, shielding his eyes as best he could so he could actually see where he was going. While he walked he could hear the yells, spewing all sorts of questions to him, some inappropriate. As usual, though, Harry ignored them, and once Niall was out of the car they darted inside, the doorman ushering them in.

Niall wasn't usually one to do fine dining. He was just as happy to order Nando's, or swing by a drive-thru of some sort on the way to an interview. He was a simple man, and it was for that reason that Harry enjoyed opening him up to new things. When blowing too much money on something as basic as food, often the experience was half the fun.

Harry watched his mate's eyes wander constantly as they were shown to their table, taking in the stark decor of the room. Niall even laughed as their waiter placed their napkins on their laps _for_ them, and demanded a fist-bump for the service. The night carried on and Harry was quickly reminded why he loved spending time with Niall so much.

The time came for them to leave, and Harry could see the line of paps still waiting outside. Even during their meal there had been some photos taken through the window, trying to catch them and invade their privacy.

“This is going to be a nightmare,” Niall groaned, grabbing Harry's arm tightly as they were ushered outside. They were swarmed once again, the clicks of shutters going off rapid-fire.

“ _Harry, is Kendall still in the picture?”_

“ _Harry, is it true you think she's dumb?”_

“ _Harry! Look this way!”_

“ _Niall, how does it feel to have a song written about you?”_

“ _Niall! Hey! Is it true you slept with Ellie?”_

Harry gritted his teeth as the questions took a sharp turn. He grabbed Niall around the shoulders and all but pushed him towards the open door of his Range Rover, slamming it shut when he was safely inside. He turned on the photographers, then, shooting the best glare that he could.

“Move out of the way, please,” he said sternly, attempting to make his way to the other side of the vehicle. He felt a camera collide with the side of his head and he lurched slightly, catching himself on the hood of the SUV.

He was _boiling_ mad.

Once in the vehicle, he started it up, doing everything he could not to run over the men standing in his way.

“Harry,” Niall said carefully, looking over at him from the passenger's seat. “Are you alright? Your head -”

“I'm fine,” Harry replied quickly, nudging the vehicle forward. A path became available to him and he left the curb, finally getting out in to the street. “They're just idiots. Don't ever listen to the stupid things they say, either.”

Niall shook his head. “I don't.”

Just as Harry felt himself begin to calm down, there was a flash from right next to him on the one-way street. He looked out of his window to see a car next to them, the window down and a camera pointed at his face.

“Son of a -”

“There's a car behind us, too!” Niall said, a nervous sound to his voice. He was frantically checking his mirror and craning his neck to see the sedan following them.

_When do they ever stop?_ Harry asked himself, trying to focus on the road. Up ahead in the intersection he saw that the light was green and he stepped on the gas, hoping to lose them if he timed it right. 

“Harry, slow down -”

“Leave it, Niall! Just cover your eyes if you have to, I'm trying to get us out of this,” Harry snapped, though he immediately regretted it. He had never spoken to Niall in such a rude way, he'd never had a reason to. 

The car beside him had matched his speed, and the guy hanging out the window was still snapping pictures. All at once, though, they hit their breaks, and Harry saw it as a small victory. He grinned in to his side mirror as he watched them get smaller, feeling a surge of pride at his small achievement. 

That was, until Niall's scream interrupted his celebration. “Harry, the light!” He cried, pointing frantically at the windshield. It was then that Harry noticed the change in the traffic light above, glowing a mean red as they sailed out in to the middle of the intersection. 

There was no time for him to react before twin sets of headlights were shining at them, the sounds of multiple car horns shrieking in the air.

A car struck the driver's side front fender, sending them in to a spin. Harry wrenched the wheel in different directions, trying to find the control he had lost. Everything he'd learned in his driving course years before slipped from his mind as he went in to panic mode. Niall was curled in on himself beside him, arms up to cover his face. 

They came out of their spin and smashed head on in to a palm tree on the side of the boulevard. 

  
  


The first thing Harry became aware of when he came to were the sounds around him. He could hear shouts, some screams, and the annoying drone of his car horn that wasn't turning off. 

“Ngh,” he groaned, lifting his head carefully and resting it back against his head rest. He could feel wetness all down the side of his face, and it took little to determine that it was probably blood. He slowly opened his eyes, searching frantically while they took their time coming in to focus. He looked up at the shattered windshield, seeing the trunk of a tree beyond it and the crumpled hood of his car. People were running about, waving their arms and yelling.

“Niall,” Harry croaked, rolling his head to rest on his right shoulder. What he saw next to him, he wouldn't soon forget.

Niall's body was laying against the passenger's side door, his head resting where the glass of the window had once been. His face was bloody, and his right arm was posed at an odd angle. He was completely still, which caused Harry to panic. He called his name again, lifting his arm from his own lap and reaching for the blonde. “Niall, wake up,” he whined, nudging the unmoving body. “I'm so sorry, Ni, please -” Harry's voice broke as he heaved a sob, shaking his friend harder. 

Niall was unresponsive.

Just as Harry began to hear the ambulance sirens, the darkness claimed him again.

  
  


_~~~~_

  
  


“Where's Niall?” He cried for a second time, trying in vain to move his head. He realized he was strapped down to a spine board, rendering him completely immobile. 

“Your friend is in good hands. What's your name?” It was a woman who was above him, her voice calm and steady despite the shouts and noises around them.

“You already know who -”

“I know that I know who you are, but I want you to tell me,” she challenged.

He took a deep, shaky breath. “I'm Harry.” He continued to take deep breaths, though air became harder and harder to find. He began to hear the beat of his own heart in his ears, his body starting to tremble.

Allie smiled down at him, not at all alarmed by Harry's struggle. “Nice to meet you, Harry, I'm Allie. You're just going in to shock right now, okay?”

An oxygen mask was placed over his face, Allie holding it in place as other EMTs lifted him on to a stretcher. Despite L.A.'s heat, a blanket was thrown over him as well. He kept trying to see things around him, but his view was limited. The bed beneath him rumbled as he was rolled towards the waiting ambulance.

“You alright there, Harry?” Allie asked, climbing up in to the back of the vehicle beside him. 

Harry gave as much of a nod as he could manage. 

In his head all he kept seeing was Niall, laid out in the passenger seat of his car. He couldn't wake him up,  _why couldn't he wake him up?_ He felt  _helpless_ , unable to do anything. It was all his fault, all that had happened to them, and he didn't even know if he'd hurt anyone else.  _What if he had hurt someone else?_

He wanted his parents, he wanted his boys – he wanted Liam to give him that look that said he was a bit disappointed but that everything was going to be alright. He wanted Louis to make some sarcastic remark while hiding the fact that he was deeply concerned. And Zayn – Zayn would be a quiet comfort, watching over everyone else. Harry wondered what they would say when they found out; found out that he had put Niall in harm's way.

  
  


The hospital was a flurry of activity. Harry found out that he hadn't broken anything exactly, though the pain he felt was from a cracked rib. He did need stitches in his forehead, which was only a bit uncomfortable due to the numbing cream they used. He was put in a private room and attached to an IV of morphine that he could administer himself in moderation. Nurses swarmed him, taking his vitals and jotting them down on a clipboard and generally trying to make him more comfortable. They left quickly, though, shutting the door tightly behind them.

His room was deathly quiet, despite the beep of his heart monitor.

It was annoying.

  
  


The morphine must have knocked him out, because he awoke suddenly some time later to a sharp pain in his side. He winced and reached blindly for the button that would give him more of the drug.

“Harry?”

“Jesus, he's awake!”

Harry snapped his eyes open as he heard voices around him, and his heart leapt as he recognized the concerned faces of his band mates. They all crowded around his bed, looking him over as if checking for damages. He finally found his switch and gave himself a dose, feeling the effects almost instantly. He breathed out slowly as the pain ebbed away. “Hey,” he said, voice sounding particularly awful.

“Hey yourself, how are you feeling?” Liam asked, placing a comforting hand on his leg.

“You – Where's Sophia? It was date night,” Harry asked instead of answering the question.

Liam rolled his eyes and explained that he had dropped her off at the house as soon as he'd gotten the news from Paul, which was seconds before hearing about the accident on the radio. Apparently it had spread like wildfire that famous boy-banders Harry Styles and Niall Horan had been in an accident in downtown L.A. The internet was a buzz, some rumours even stating that one of them had died. Of _course_.

“Is Niall okay? Have you seen him yet?” Harry asked suddenly, searching the other boys' faces. He received a unanimous 'no'.

Liam spoke. “Not yet, mate. He's still being looked after, I think.”

Louis turned to Zayn. “You should go get a nurse to tell you what's happening.”

Zayn screwed up his face. “Why me?”

“Because,” Louis explained. “Our charmer and our cute one are currently out of commission and your good looks are a close third, so get out there, Fabio.”

Just as Zayn was about to protest, the door to the room opened and Paul poked his head in, smiling when he saw that Harry was awake. “Well look who's alive!” He joked, approaching the bed. Harry could tell he was carrying himself quite carefully as not to appear the least bit stressed. He was insanely good at keeping his cool, which helped them all during rough times.

“Have you heard anything about Niall?” Harry got straight to the point, watching the smile disappear from their tour manager's face. It seemed even _he_ couldn't guard his feelings when it came to everyone's favourite.

“Niall is doing well. The doctor says he has some broken ribs from the airbag, and that his arm was broken as well. Other than that, he's got no internal damage. Thank your lucky stars that you were driving one of those massive vehicles that you boys do. If you'd been driving one of them vintage models you've got, we'd be scraping you off of the pavement with a shovel. The other driver that hit you guys was looked after at the scene. He's fine.”

Harry let out a shudder, feeling relieved tears well in his eyes. “I'm so sorry,” he choked, bringing a hand up to scrub at his eyes. “They were chasing us, but I should have been paying more attention. I should have _listened_ to him, but instead I yelled -”

He felt arms wrap around him, and the warmth from his brothers sink in to his skin.

  
  


Harry woke up a third time to the sound of shuffling and low voices. The last thing he could remember was Paul ordering everyone out so that he could sleep, so he was unsure of who was in the room. The main lights are out, but in the dim light of his bedside lamp, he can make out a new bed occupying his room. There were nurses performing similar tasks as they had earlier, writing things down on clip boards and hooking up an IV.

Harry realized quickly who was lying in the bed, and once the nurses were gone he cleared his throat. “Niall?”

He saw movement, and then heard a pained moan. “Harry?”

“Yeah, it's me,” Harry smiled in to the darkness, the sound of Niall's broken voice being the only thing he'd wanted to hear for ages. “Are you alright?”

“I hurt,” Niall humphed. “Are you? O-okay, I mean.”

Harry nodded, though Niall likely couldn't see him. “I'm fine.”

A silence fell over them, in which Harry listened to the steady beat of Niall's own heart monitor synching up with his. The sound was a comfort to him, after hours of letting the worst things fill up his mind. At one point he'd been sure that he'd lost Niall, and he had been unprepared to deal with that absurd idea.

How would they have coped if Niall hadn't come through it okay? They were all so closely-knit, bonded together like a family. Losing Niall would be like losing a piece of a whole, and the blood would have been on Harry's own hands.

“Harry,” Niall's voice called softly. “I don't want you to blame yourself for this.”

Harry blinked. “Niall -”

“No, no. Don't even start with me,” Niall interrupted. “I can practically _hear_ your self-loathing in your mind right now. And I say don't. It's not worth it.” Harry frowned up at the ceiling as Niall continued, “I love you, okay?”

He sighed, hating how easy it was for the boy to pull at his heart strings. “I love you, too, Ni. Now get some sleep because I have a feeling the boys won't be too far behind you.”

There were rustling sounds of sheets, and the tell-tale hiss from Niall as he shifted with his broken ribs. Harry scratched at the gauze around his head, which probably looked ridiculous despite the head scarves he always wore.

“And Haz?” Niall called once they had settled in.

“Mm?”

“You were right, I think we should just get take-away next time, yeah?”

Despite the situation, and the resulting media shit storm that was no doubt brewing outside of their hospital room door, Harry found the strength within himself to laugh.


End file.
